1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for performing processing on an image data item and an audio data item corresponding to the image data item in accordance with an amount of movement of the image data item on a display screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, as a method for outputting audio data items when a plurality of image data items (including still image data items) are displayed, a method for selecting one image data item from among the displayed image data items, and for outputting only an audio data item corresponding to the image data item has been known.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-19729, a technology is disclosed, in which the sound volume of audio data items corresponding to image data items is adjusted in accordance with the size of the image data items and overlaps among the image data items on a screen, and in which the audio data items are combined together and output.
Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-49763, a technology is disclosed, in which filter processing is performed on audio data items corresponding to image data items in accordance with the size of the image data items and overlaps among the image data items on a screen, and in which the audio data items are combined together and output.
Additionally, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-69391, a technology is disclosed, in which the sound volume and sound field of audio data items corresponding to image data items is adjusted in accordance with the size and position of the image data items on a screen, and in which the audio data items are combined together and output.
Conventionally, a method has been employed, in which the balance between an audio data item that is heard from a left speaker and an audio data item that is heard from a right speaker is adjusted, the audio data items corresponding to image data items. However, there is a problem that the method has a low directivity, and that it is difficult to distinguish a plurality of sounds from one another using the method.
Furthermore, there is also a problem that, when image data items are moved, it is difficult to determine, simply by adjusting the sound volume and sound field of the image data items, which image data item is moving.